3 months and a half baby african grey

[Reem12]

Hi Everyone !

I got myself a baby african grey parrot, he was 3 weeks old when i first got him and was hand feeding him till now. Now adays i've started providing him with some fruits, seeds and pellets , to start weaning him/her (Still dont know the exavt gender )

When i first started offering him some fruits, he would first eat them i'm giving it to him with my hand, then he started to eat from the bowl.
Now adays i've noticed him that he doesnt eat his fruits, seeds and pellets and always wants to be out of the cage, although i let him out alot but when i want him to eat and depens on himself he becomes, lets say "stubborn".

And i'm still hand feeding 3 times a day, 50ml each meal.

I would appreciate if any of you with experience help me out and advise me on what i can do for a stubborn baby african grey.

Thank you

 

[wrench13]

Just keep offering the solid foods at each meal time. Chicks will make the switch in their own time, whether that 3 months or 6 or longer. He will transition never fear. THis is called abundance weaning and is the much preferred way for them to make the transition.
Actually its good to offer formula periodically even after he;s made the change over, for a few reasons. Mostly so that if you have to administer a medicine in the future, you should be able to get most of it in him mixed in the formula and know that he is getting all of it. And it also maintains your bond with him a little more.

And yeah, greys can be stubborn with a capitol S.

 

[Laurasea]

This is from an article I read

“ African Grey Parrots
Compared to the quicker maturing South American parrots, African grey parrots are considered to be slow maturing birds. “Greys may live within their family groups in the wild flocks for as long as the first year of their life. That means that the species is genetically programmed to need that amount of time to mature,” Wright said. An Amazon parrot, on the other hand, may take half that amount of time living with its parents.

In captivity, baby African grey parrots can be a challenge to feed and wean, according to Dennis Saydak, an aviculturist in Manitoba, Canada, and director of The Parrot Association of Canada. A lot of times, baby African grey parrots have no desire to learn to eat on their own; they would rather have their parents or hand-feeder feed them instead. “Some baby greys are so content that they are too lazy to even sit up for feeding. We call them ‘floppers.’ They must be carefully supported in order to fill their crops safely,” Saydak said.

African grey parrots also tend to be very slow eaters. “If you try to force greys to eat too quickly, they will barf the formula right back up,” noted Gayle Soucek, a pet trade consultant and author of The Parrot Breeder’s Answer Book (Barron’s, 2001).

In terms of vocalizing, however, African grey parrots are often ahead of the game. Aviculturist Rick Flowers of Louisiana breeds African grey parrots as well as Amazon parrots. He has found that African grey parrots babies typically begin to vocalize earlier than Amazon parrots do. “This usually occurs when the babies are starting to feather in earnest and learning to waddle about and perch,” he said. “They make the sweetest gurgling noises to themselves as they explore their enclosure. The Amazon babies at this stage of development tend to be very vocal only at feeding times and reserve their vocalizations when they are perching well and are almost fully feathered.”

Except from an article I will link

“That part of the weaning stage is particularly stressful for the young parrot. It is a gradual transition from a totally dependant state to an independent one. The young parrot will have much to learn. It is also the time of the acquisition of many social skills; the moment when the young parrot makes its "debuts" among its parrots fellows.”
http://www.parrot-parrots.com/important-stages-life-parrot.php

Article on weaning
http://www.exoticpetvet.com/weaning-baby-birds.html

 

[Reem12]

Thank you for the advice.

But can i do with him always wanting to get out od the cage, he is becoming so dependant on me. Its cute that he onky wants to sit next to/on me but i want him to eat and play.

He used to play alot with his toys, eat his food inside the cage, now all he wants to get out of the cage. He is doing the "digging" thing that baby parrots do when he wants to get out of the cage.

Does this mean that i need to ignore him when he does it and let him spend more time in his cage until he go back to normal?

 

[LeaKP]

Yes greys insanely slow to wean. Sometimes they fully revert to formula. Just patience and time. Keep offering other foods and he/she will eventually go off the formula.


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[Laurasea]

Young weaning birds need more attention ,
As he is growing up , he is sleeping less, and naturally wants to explore more, and getting bored with stuck in the cage.

Working with him , teaching him with you role play on how to play with toys. Parrots learn from their flock. Working with them, eating the foods with them usually helps them try new stuff better and wean ...

To me a cage is a place to sleep, and fir their safety when needed. They have a few plays stations with perch gyms , swings, chew toys to hang out at , so they aren’t just on my shoulder. So trying to have a parrot that stays in the cage.... not my goal

If you are asking if he will wean faster and better left alone in the cage with food and no distractions. No I don’t think so. They actually have more confidence to try new things if yiu interactive with them , guiding them. I think spreading out the veggies and food in wide shallow dishes or trays helps them explore and try the food better. Also maybe setting them up with a perch area and food near you when you sbd your family eat your meals helps to

 

[Reem12]

Yeah thats what i usually do, whenever me and the fanily are having a meal i invlude hin with us. I include in everything but some times i become busy with chores and other stuff and no one will look after hin so i out him in the cage.

Before when i used to out him in the cage and offer some fruits and veggies, i used to first feed him with my hand and then leave the bowl and he would eat by himself from the bowl. This to keep him distracted a bit till i get whatever job/chore done. Then take him to play and explore and just chill with us while watching TV and he loves napping on my lap.
But now a days he has no interest in the fruits and veggies (although i keep then at room temperature like always) and just wants to get out.

Thats what got me worried. But im still offering him different food till i find his favourite thing and still take him out as much as before.

 

[Ishaq12]

Hi Everyone !

I got myself a baby african grey parrot, he was 3 weeks old when i first got him and was hand feeding him till now. Now adays i've started providing him with some fruits, seeds and pellets , to start weaning him/her (Still dont know the exavt gender )

When i first started offering him some fruits, he would first eat them i'm giving it to him with my hand, then he started to eat from the bowl.
Now adays i've noticed him that he doesnt eat his fruits, seeds and pellets and always wants to be out of the cage, although i let him out alot but when i want him to eat and depens on himself he becomes, lets say "stubborn".

And i'm still hand feeding 3 times a day, 50ml each meal.

I would appreciate if any of you with experience help me out and advise me on what i can do for a stubborn baby african grey.

Thank you

Hey! Where did you buy it from and how much you paid? Thank you

 

[BrooksiesDad]

My hand raised an African gray named Bertha. She did start to give me some trouble at around four months. Then I started offering her grapes and string beans, but just as she would reach for it I would eat it. It was the funniest thing,She would get totally incensed. It didn’t take long before she would take it I think simply so I wouldn’t take it myself. Incredibly smart bird.